Packaging for liquid, semiliquid or pasty food product

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns a packaging for liquid, semiliquid or pasty food product ( 30 ) comprising a body ( 1 ) made of deformable material to enable the product ( 30 ) to be expelled by exerting pressure, and a mouthpiece ( 4 ) for dispensing the product which a user may bring to his mouth for consuming of the product. The invention is characterised in that the dispensing mouthpiece ( 4 ) has two stable positions, namely a retracted position wherein the opening ( 4 ) is retracted inside the body ( 1 ) defining a cavity ( 9 ), and an extended position wherein the mouthpiece ( 4 ) extends at least partly beyond the body ( 1 ) to enable consumption of the product ( 30 ) and an inner seal ( 10 ) protects said cavity ( 9 ), when the mouthpiece ( 4 ) is in retracted position before its initial unfolding by a consumer.

[0001] The subject of the invention is a packaging for a liquid, semiliquid or pasty food product comprising a body made of deformable material to enable the product to be expelled by exerting pressure, and a mouthpiece for dispensing the product which a user may bring to his mouth for consuming the product.

[0002] Flexible containers of this type (for example, cartons) are already known in which the mouthpiece has an opening which can be opened, for example, by removing a precut region.

[0003] In such containers, the mouthpiece is not protected and the result of this is that the consumer brings to his mouth a region of the container which is in contact with the external environment, which is relatively unhygienic. Furthermore, these containers are often difficult to open.

[0004] This drawback is shared with a large number of known containers, such as metal cans for drinks, etc.

[0005] This drawback is more significant when the products are intended for children, who are often regular consumers of products packaged in this way, which they are likely to carry in their pockets or bags during their normal activities away from home.

[0006] The present invention proposes to overcome the aforementioned problems by offering a packaging which can be brought to the mouth under entirely satisfactory hygienic conditions.

[0007] Thus, the invention relates to a packaging for a liquid, semiliquid or pasty food product comprising a body made of deformable material to enable the product to be expelled by exerting pressure, and a mouthpiece for dispensing the product which a user may bring to his mouth for consuming the product, characterized in that the dispensing mouthpiece has two stable positions, namely a retracted position wherein the mouthpiece is retracted inside the body, thereby defining a cavity, and an unfolded position brought about by exerting pressure on the packaging body, wherein the mouthpiece extends at least partly beyond the body to enable consumption of the product and in that it has a seal to protect said cavity, when the mouthpiece is in the retracted position before its initial unfolding by a consumer.

[0008] The cavity which contains the dispensing mouthpiece in the retracted position is thus protected by a seal which guarantees the cleanness thereof.

[0009] The consumer presses on the body of the container to unfold the mouthpiece from its retracted position, towards its unfolded position, in which the product can be consumed after removing the seal.

[0010] According to a first embodiment, the seal seals said cavity and the mouthpiece has a closure element distinct from the seal and which can be removed by a user. This closure element may have a region which can be torn off by twisting or some other movement.

[0011] According to a second embodiment, the mouthpiece has an opening which is closed by said seal. Said opening is, for example, coplanar with a peripheral edge of the packaging body.

[0012] According to a preferred variant of the second embodiment, the seal is in contact with a peripheral edge of the cavity, without however being secured thereto, which makes it possible to provide said protection, the mouthpiece being in the retracted position.

[0013] According to another variant, which is suitable for the first or the second embodiment, the seal is sealed to a peripheral edge in a leaktight manner, so as to provide said protection.

[0014] It may then have a weakened region enabling the seal to be torn peripherally when the dispensing mouthpiece is initially unfolded from the retracted position.

[0015] According to yet another variant, which is suitable for the first or the second embodiment, the seal is secured to a peripheral edge of the cavity so as to provide said protection, the securing force being low enough for the seal to be detached peripherally when the dispensing mouthpiece is initially unfolded from the retracted position.

[0016] A groove may be made in a peripheral edge of the body and it extends to an inner face of the seal, so that a consumer can initiate removal of the seal.

[0017] The packaging may be made from any flexible material compatible with food products, for example low-density polyethylene or other polyolefins or elastomers.

[0018] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clearly apparent on reading the following description, given by way of nonlimiting example, in association with the appended drawings, in which:

[0019]FIGS. 1a to 1 c illustrate the first embodiment of the invention in the retracted and sealed position (with the weakened line of the seal 10 being enlarged), in the unfolded and unsealed position, and in the unfolded position (once the endpiece is removed), respectively, and FIG. 1d shows in perspective the packaging in the unsealed and unfolded position, for removing the endpiece.

[0020]FIGS. 2a to 2 c illustrate the second embodiment of the invention in the retracted and sealed position, in the unfolded position, and in the unfolded and unsealed position, respectively.

[0021] The drawings show the packaging, with the materials depicted as being transparent, for clarity of the presentation.

[0022] With reference to FIGS. 1a to 1 c, the packaging has a body 1 which is filled with a product 30 and which is closed at one end 20 by a transverse weld 7 and the other end 2 of which has a re-entrant dome 3 which defines a cavity 9. The central part of the dome 3 bears a mouthpiece 4 having a cylindrical part 6 and closed by an endpiece comprising a butterfly head 5, the assembly being housed in the cavity 9.

[0023] The cavity 9 is closed by a seal 10 sealed to a peripheral edge 8 of the end 2 of the body 1 furthest from the end 20.

[0024] Once the seal 10 is removed, the cavity 9 is opened, which allows access to the opening 16 of the mouthpiece 4.

[0025] By pressing the body 1 of the container, as shown in FIG. 1c, the consumer increases the pressure in the container thereby allowing the dome 3 to unfold. This unfolding is accompanied by a noise (“plop”) which is perceived by a young user as pleasant. Next, it is then enough to rotate the butterfly head 5 so that the cylindrical part 6 is detached by twisting the rest of the mouthpiece 4, which allows access to the product 30 via an opening 16 (FIG. 1d).

[0026] It is then enough to bring the mouthpiece 4 to the mouth and to consume the product by squeezing the body 1 of the container to a greater or lesser extent, if necessary.

[0027] The seal 10 may have a weakened region 11 (for example a line of smaller thickness) on its periphery which extends all or virtually all the way around it. By pressing on the body 1 of the container, the consumer makes the butterfly head 5 spring up which causes the weakened region of the seal 10 to tear. A similar function is obtained by only securing the seal 10 to the peripheral edge of the cavity 19 with a securing force which may be overcome when the butterfly head 5 is ejected.

[0028] In the embodiment of FIGS. 2a to 2 c, the seal 10 seals an opening 15 of the mouthpiece 4. The cavity 19 protected by the seal 10 is, for example, of annular or ovoid shape and is defined by a concave bottom 12 and a neck region 14 of the mouthpiece 4. In the example shown, the opening 15 located at the free end of the neck region 14 is coplanar with the peripheral edge 8, which means that the seal 10 is flat.

[0029] The seal 10 is not secured to the peripheral edge 8, but it is in contact therewith, when the mouthpiece 4 is in the retracted position. This makes it possible to provide sufficient protection for the mouthpiece 4. In particular, the seal 10 may be made of an inelastic plastic or metal and may press on the peripheral edge 8 of the cavity 19. The consumer presses the body 1 of the container in order to unfold the mouthpiece 4 (FIG. 2c) with a noise similar to the one obtained in the previous case. The mouthpiece 4 carries the seal 10, sealed on the opening 15, with it as it is unfolded. The contents of the container may then be consumed by bringing the mouthpiece 4 to the mouth after removing the seal 10, squeezing the body 1 if necessary.

[0030] As a variant, the seal 10 is sealed to the peripheral edge of the cavity 19. It is then necessary to unseal the periphery before squeezing the body 1 and unfolding the mouthpiece. The seal 10 is then removed to free the opening 15.

[0031] As a final variant, the seal 10 has on its periphery a weakened region similar to the one already mentioned, or else it is only secured to the peripheral edge of the cavity 19 with a securing force which may be overcome on ejecting the butterfly head 5.

[0032] The invention is applicable to food containers for liquid or semiliquid products or even products of a pasty consistency.

[0033] The container may be made from any flexible material compatible with food products, for example low-density polyethylene or other polyolefins or elastomers. It may be made by blow molding or by injection molding.

[0034] It is possible to use a conventional tubing machine for packaging the product.

[0035] The container may be delivered with the mouthpiece in the retracted position and sealed.

[0036] Filling is carried out via the opposite end 20 from the mouthpiece, then the sealing 7 is carried out.

[0037] The packaging may be presented, for example on shelves of a store, by standing it on the seal 10 which then also acts as the bottom of the packaging. The seal 10 may conventionally be made of a transparent or colored metal film or metallized plastic film which may or may not be printed.

[0038] In the enlargement of FIG. 2a, an axial groove 40 appears, made in the periphery of the body 1 and which extends to an inner face of the seal 10 which may optionally make it possible for the consumer to initiate removal of the seal using a finger. 

1. A packaging for a liquid, semiliquid or pasty food product comprising a body made of deformable material to enable the product to be expelled by exerting pressure, and a mouthpiece for dispensing the product which a user may bring to his mouth for consuming the product, characterized in that the dispensing mouthpiece (4) has two stable positions, namely a retracted position wherein the mouthpiece (4) is retracted inside the body (1), thereby defining a cavity (9, 19), and an unfolded position brought about by exerting pressure on the packaging body, wherein the mouthpiece (4) extends at least partly beyond the body (1) to enable consumption of the product (30) and in that it has a seal (10) to protect said cavity (9, 19), when the mouthpiece (4) is in the retracted position before its initial unfolding by a consumer.
 2. The packaging as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the seal seals said cavity (9, 19) and in that the mouthpiece (4) has a closure element (5, 6) distinct from the seal (10) and which can be removed by a user.
 3. The packaging as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the closure element has a region (6) which can be torn off, especially by twisting.
 4. The packaging as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the mouthpiece (4) has an opening (15) which is closed by said seal (10).
 5. The packaging as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that said opening (15) is coplanar with a peripheral edge (8) of the packaging body (1).
 6. The packaging as claimed in either of claims 4 and 5, characterized in that, when the mouthpiece is in the retracted position, the seal (10) is in contact with a peripheral edge (8) of the cavity (9) so as to provide said protection.
 7. The packaging as claimed in one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that, when the mouthpiece (4) is in the retracted position, the seal (10) is sealed to a peripheral edge (8) of the cavity (9) so as to provide said protection.
 8. The packaging as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the seal (10) has a weakened region (11) enabling the seal (10) to be torn peripherally when the dispensing mouthpiece (4) is initially unfolded.
 9. The packaging as claimed in one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that, when the mouthpiece (4) is in the retracted position, the seal (10) is secured to a peripheral edge (8) of the cavity (9) so as to provide said protection, the securing force being low enough for the seal to be detached peripherally when the dispensing mouthpiece is initially unfolded.
 10. The packaging as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has a groove (40) made in the periphery of the body, and which extends to an inner face of the seal, so that a consumer can initiate removal of the seal (10).
 11. The packaging as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is made of low-density polyethylene or other polyolefins or elastomers. 